Tiller-wheel on steamboats



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ JAMES A. MAXWELL, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

TlLLER-WHEEL ON STEAMBOATS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,213, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed June 28, 1884. (X0 model.)

T) all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. MAXWELL, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Management of Tiller-Vheels on Steam-Vessels, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to an improvement in the management of tillerwhecls for steam-vessels; and it consists in an application of steampower, by which the tiller-wheel is turned. or held in a given position by the pilots foot depressing treadles, as will be fully described hereinafter.

It frequently occurs during stormy weather that the strength of one man is insufficient to control and hold the tiller-wheel that guides at vessehand the strength of two men is sometimes insuflicient for it. My object is to overcome this difficulty and to enable a pilot to turn the wheel at all times without greater exertion than to place his foot upon a treadle that, when depressed, causes the steam-power to turn the wheel to either side and to hold it in any desired position. To accomplish this I place under the tiller-wheel. a small steamengine that turns a fly-wheel which can be brought in contact with rollers pivoted at the ends of a bell-crank, of which the fulcrum is fixed at a convenient place, so that it one of the rollers is raised by the arm of the lever the one on the other arm is lowered. The raising and lowering of the rollers is effected by stepping on one of two treadles protruding from the foot-board, which causes one of the rollers to be pressed between the revolving fly-wheel andthe tiller-wheel, thereby turning the latter in one direction, and by stepping on the other, after releasing the former, turning the tillenwheel in an opposite direc iion.

ln the accompanying drawings, A represents a tiller-wheel; B, a steam-engine; O, a fly-wheel; D D, a bell-crank; E, a frictionroller; F and F, smaller friction-rollers; G G, treadles. The tiller-wheel A is of the usual construction, but has near its outer rim an inner circle, a, made of iron or other strong material, attached to the spokes oi the wheel, and covered with rubber or other material that prevents the sliding of the part to which it is applied when in contact with the rollers are pix'oted the treadles G G, that pass upthrongh the foot-board near the tiller-wheel. The treadles are provided under the floor with spiral springs, which, when the pressure on top of the treadles is removed, restore them to their former positions. On the arm D of the bell-crank is a gum roller, E, that, when the treadle G on the other arm, D, of the bell crank becomes depressed, is thereby raised and pressed in between the covered iron circle a and the fly-wheel G, causing the tiller whecl to turn. On the arm D are two smaller rollers, F and F, in contact with each other, of which the one, F,when the treadle G1 is depressed, is raised so as to bear against the circle a, while the other, F, bears against the fly-wheel, and both revolving together, turn the tiller-wheel in a direction opposite to the former given by the roller 15. Hence by using one or the other treadle the pilot can guide his vessel to either side without putting his hands to the wheel. There is in addition to the two treadles described a third one, H, that when pressed upon holds the tillerwheel firmly in the position in which it may be at the time, but having been in use for a long time forms no part of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, claim-- l. The combination of the tiller-wheel, a rim, band, or circle secured rigidly to its side, a pivoted crank-lever placed below the wheel and band, friction-wheels which are journaled upon the arms of the lever, a fly-wheel 1oeated beneath the tiller, and a mechanism for driving the 'fiy-wheel, the lever being adapted to be moved so as to press the wheel or wheels upon its arms between the rim or band on the v tiller-wheel and the flywheel,substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the tiller-wheel, the and a mechanism for driving it, with the piveirele rigidly secured to its side, a fly-wheel oted erankdever, having a spring applied to placed below the tiller-wheel, and a inechaneach arm, and the frietion-whee1s E F F, ism for driving the fly-wheel, with springjournaled upon the arms, substantially as de 15 5 actuated levers which have friction-wheels scribed.

journaled upon them, and which wheels are In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in moved by the levers, so as to bear against presence of two witnesses.

both the fly-wheel and the eirele,snbstantially JAMES A. MAXVELL. as set forth. \Vitnesses: l 3. The combination of the tiller-wheel, a LoUIs MoEsER,

circle rigidly secured thereto, the fly-wheel, TG. STAUFFER. 

